Page 87 of Diamond Kisses

I was stiff and achy, heavy and lumpish.

Almost as if my body was missing its lifeforce.

The lifeforce currently soaked into my silver negligée.

What if he’s right?

What if I’ve lost too much blood?

Swallowing back my fear, I leaned on him for support.

With a grunt, he hoisted me up.

His arm wasn’t nearly strong enough after two months of torture, but together…we managed.

Standing, he didn’t release my hand.

He was so warm.

So, so warm compared to me. Positively onfirecompared to me.

Fire.

Flame.

Henri.

I have to find him.

Before it’s too late…

“Come on.” I tugged my fingers from his and headed with a slight sway toward the door.

“Wait.” Marching beside me, Peter reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a rusty dagger. “I got this from the armoury. I don’t know how old it is, but hopefully it holds centuries of protection and accuracy.” Passing it to me, he ordered, “Only use it if your life is in danger. Do not go stabbing everyone we come across. You get your heart rate up any more than it already is, and you’ll probably die.”

“I’m not going to die.”

“Regardless.” He smirked to hide his fear. “Let me do the exterminating, okay? I need you still breathing after this.”

Curling my fingers around the dagger, I nodded and kissed his dirty cheek. “I need you still breathing too, Paavak.”

“In that case, let’s get this over with so we can breathe free together.”

Without another word, we slipped into the smoke-thick corridor and hoped we’d be alive come dawn.

Chapter Sixteen

………………………….

Henri

Fifteen minutes earlier

AFTER A LIFETIME OF BEING alone, I suddenly had a family.

A family made up of different races, nationalities, religions, and creeds.

A family made of jewels who ignored their own terror and training to fight with everything they fucking had.

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